1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a surface-mounted connector mounted on a substrate by soldering fixing metal members, which are respectively attached to both ends of a connector housing, to a substrate.
2. Description of the Related Art
FIG. 9 illustrates a conventional surface-mounted connector described in Patent Document 1. This surface-mounted connector has an insulating resin connector housing 101, which is formed like a substantially rectangular box and is put on a substrate 110, and fixing metal members 103 fixed to side walls of the connector housing 101 by being respectively press-fit into mounting portions 102 provided on outer surfaces of the side walls of the connector housing 101.
Each of the fixing metal members 103 is formed by folding a strip-shaped metal plate cross-sectionally substantially like a letter “L”. Each of the fixing metal members 103 has a substrate fixing portion 103a to be soldered to a surface of the substrate 110, and a housing attachment portion 103b to be attached to an associated one of the mounting portions 102. The surface-mounted connector illustrated in FIG. 9 is mounted on the substrate 110 by soldering the substrate fixing portions 103a of the fixing metal members 103 to the substrate 110.
FIGS. 10A and 10B illustrate another example of the conventional surface-mounted connector. FIG. 10A is a perspective view thereof. FIG. 10B is a perspective view of the fixing member. Similarly, in the case of this surface-mounted connector, an L-shaped fixing metal member 123 is inserted from above into each of mounting portions 122 respectively provided on side walls of both ends of a connector housing 121. Then, a housing attachment portion 123a of each of the fixing metal members 123 is engaged with an associated one of the mounting portions 122 of the connector housing 121. Further, a substrate fixing portion 123b thereof is soldered to the substrate. Thus, this surface-mounted connector is mounted on the substrate.
FIGS. 11A and 11B illustrate another conventional surface-mounted connector. FIG. 11A is a top view thereof. FIG. 11B is a bottom view thereof. This surface-mounted connector is constructed so that fitting metal members 153 are press-fit from below into side walls of both ends of a connector housing 151 on which terminals 152 are mounted.
Patent Document 1: JP-A-2006-31944
Meanwhile, in the case of each of the conventional connectors illustrated in FIGS. 9, 10A and 10B, in which each of the fixing metal members 103 and 123 is press-fit into an associated one of the side walls of the connector housings 101 and 121 from above, each of these conventional connectors has a problem in that the outer shape of the entire conventional connector is large because each of the mounting portions 102 and 122 is formed on the outer surface of an associated one of the side walls of the connector housings 101 and 121. In addition, each of these conventional connectors has another problem in that because each of these conventional connectors has a structure in which each of the fixing metal members 102 and 123 is inserted into an associated one of the mounting portions 102 and 122 from above, the area of each of the substrate fixing portions 103a and 123b of the fixing metal members 103 and 123 cannot be increased, and that a large force for fixing the connector to the substrate cannot be obtained.
Further, in the case of the conventional connector illustrated in FIGS. 11A and 11B, in which each of the fixing metals 153 is simply press-fit into the connector housing 151 from below in the conventional connector housing 151, this conventional connector has problems in that the fixing metal members 153 easily slip off the connector housing 151, and that a force for holding the fixing metal members 153 is weak.